Research area Migration theory

Completed research project

The research project explains the "new" migration flows into western affluent societies which have developed during the last two or three decades. In all the receiving countries an "immigration crisis" occurred which provoked an intensive debate about controlling migration. On the basis of interactionist sociology a model of explanation was developed which integrated several approaches of the latest social-sciences migration research. Different types of migration (marriage migration, family reunification, asylum migration and trafficking) were examined empirically. On the whole, the current migration flows can be explained by modernisation, intermediary structures and inherent dynamics. On the basis of this explanation various options for controlling migration flows in the sense of a humane and workable migration policy were tested.